Tue, 4 Nov 2003, 11:59 AM Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals Fact Sheet

Courtesy of NHRA Communications

POMONA, Calif. -- The 39th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, the final of 23 events in the $50 million NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Professional competitors in four categories earn points leading to 2003 NHRA POWERade championships.

Sportsman competitors in seven categories earn points leading to 2003 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series championships.

WHERE: Pomona Raceway, Pomona, Calif. Track is located off I-10 at Fairplex Drive. Go north on Fairplex drive to the Fairplex.

WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 6-9.

PURSE: Cash and contingency awards of approximately $1.7 million.

SCHEDULE:
THURSDAY, Nov. 6  -- Sportsman qualifying and time trials, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 2 p.m.

FRIDAY, Nov. 7  -- Sportsman qualifying and eliminations, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, Nov. 8 -- Sportsman eliminations, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT rounds at noon, 1:45 and 4 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 9 -- Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m.
FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.

TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 8, ESPN2 will televise 90 minutes of Budweiser Shootout and qualifying highlights
at 11:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 9, ESPN2 will broadcast NHRA 2Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at noon (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 9, ESPN will televise 150 minutes of early eliminations at 4 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 9, ESPN2 will televise 90 minutes of final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).

2002 EVENT WINNERS: Cory McClenathan, Top Fuel; John Force, Funny Car; Kurt Johnson, Pro Stock; Matt Hines, Pro Stock Bike.

WHAT TO EXPECT: All but the Pro Stock Bike champion has been crowned for the 2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series campaign. The race in the two-wheel category has shaped up as a battle between Geno Scali, who has experienced a breakthrough season in 2003 claiming three victories, and three-time consecutive category champion Angelle Savoie. Scali enters the race with a 117-point advantage over Savoie and is all but ensured the championship if he makes the cut for Sunday's eliminations. Two-time consecutive Top Fuel champion and Southern California native Larry Dixon has his eyes on Saturday's $100,000 Budweiser Shootout and the $50,000 double-up bonus offered by the NHRA to any driver that wins the Shootout and the Auto Club Finals. The Miller Lite driver earned the $150,000 payout at the season-opening event at Pomona Raceway. Dixon starts the Budweiser Shootout from the No. 2 position and will face John Smith in the opening round. Tony Pedregon became the first driver not named John Force to claim the NHRA Funny Car championship since 1992. The Southern California native and teammate of Force will look to sweep Pomona Raceway this season and earn his ninth victory on the year. Greg Anderson has accomplished just about every possible feat in 2003. Anderson clinched the Pro Stock title at Dallas in October, won the prestigious U.S. Nationals, set both ends of the national performance records at Englishtown, N.J. in May (6.670 seconds at 207.18 mph) and now he looks to break Darrell Alderman's (1991) category record of 11 victories in one season.

FAST FACTS: 2003 NHRA POWERade Top Fuel champion Larry Dixon has won two consecutive NHRA championships in the Miller Lite dragster, and was the runner-up to Kenny Bernstein for the 2001 season. Dixon has been either first or second in the NHRA POWERade standings following his win at the 2001 Mac Tools Gatornationals at Gainesville, Fla. Since he has already clinched the 2003 title, Dixon is guaranteed to have been among the top two in the standings for 66 consecutive races...Dixon also has set a career-best for round wins this season (58, tied for fifth all-time) and could become the fifth driver ever to win at least 60 rounds in one season if he advances to the semifinals at Pomona...If Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson wins the Auto Club Finals, he will establish a new single-season Pro Stock win mark (12). He also can surpass Funny Car driver John Force for the most elimination round wins in one season (66) if he advances to the finals. He will tie Force's record by advancing to the semifinals. Force won 65 elimination rounds in 19 events in '96.

ABOUT THE TRACK: Originally opened as a way to convince street racers to compete in a safe environment, Pomona Raceway was built with the combined efforts of the Pomona Valley Timing Association, Pomona Police Chief Ralph Parker and the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds. Through fundraisers, these three entities opened the track that began as a dirt parking lot with an asphalt drag strip down the middle. Bleachers that held no more than 300 spectators were in place next to a timing tower that was merely a scaffolding with a roof on top. Pomona Raceway built its first permanent timing tower in 1968, a small three-story building that housed race control, the track office and a small media room. The small three-story tower that stood for more than 25 years gave way to a 14,600-square foot tower complete with corporate suites and a modern press center. In 1992, Pomona Raceway entered the final phases of the $4.5 million modernization project, which included the installation of 40,000 permanent grandstand seats, with 20,000 of those having seat-backs. In 2001, Pomona Raceway's entire 1,320-foot racing surface was repaved to extend the concrete launch-pad from 300 to 660 feet.

TRACK RECORDS:
Top Fuel-4.482 seconds by Doug Kalitta, Feb. 2003; 332.18 mph by Kalitta, Feb. 2003
Funny Car-- 4.739 seconds by Tony Pedregon, Feb. 2003; 326.87 mph by Gary Densham, Feb. 2002
Pro Stock-- 6.764 seconds by Warren Johnson, Feb. 2003; 204.91 mph by Johnson, Feb. 2003
Pro Stock Bike - 7.149 seconds by Shawn Gann, Nov. 2002; 192.82 mph by Gann, Nov. 2002

NATIONAL RECORDS:
Top Fuel-- 4.441 seconds (Oct. 2003, Reading, Pa.) by Tony Schumacher; 333.00 mph (Sept.
2003,Joliet, Ill.) by Doug Kalitta
Funny Car-- 4.721 seconds (May 2003, Joliet, Ill.) by John Force; 329.18 mph (Sept. 2003,
Joliet, Ill.) by Gary Scelzi.
Pro Stock-- 6.670 seconds (May 2003, Englishtown, N.J.) by Greg Anderson; 207.18 mph (May 2003,
Englishtown, N.J.) by Anderson.
Pro Stock Bike -- 7.049 seconds (May 2002, Englishtown, N.J.) by Angelle Savoie; 194.10 mph (May
2001, Englishtown, N.J.) by Matt Hines.

TICKETS: For tickets call the NHRA, (800) 884-6472. Tickets also available at Ticketmaster or at nhra.com.

GENERAL ADMISSION (includes pit pass) - Thursday: Adult, $18; Junior (6-17 years), $10. Friday: Adult, $25; Junior (6-17 years), $10. Saturday: Adult, $45; Junior (6-17 years), $10. Sunday: Adult, $50; Junior (6-17 years) $12. Child (5 years-under), free with paying adult in general admission and pit access areas each day.

RESERVED SEATS (includes pit pass) - Friday: Adult, $35; Junior (6-17 years), $20; Child (5 years-under), $10. Saturday: Adult, $55; Junior (6-17 years), $22; Child (5 years and under), $12. Sunday: Adult, $62; Junior (6-17 years), $24; Child (5 years and under), $14.

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